Historic city centres are a crucial part of Europe’s cultural heritage, and a potential force for economic development and social cohesion. How can they be turned into sustainable, diverse and attractive places to live, while preserving the architectural and cultural heritage, and respecting the environment? How to improve rundown areas in historical city centres without displacing fragile residents? And how to reach the right balance of residential, commercial and tertiary functions? These are some of the questions that drove nine European cities to form the URBACT LINKS project and search together for practical solutions. Over three years, they analysed urban, social and cultural challenges, environmental and technical challenges, and economic opportunities. Their shared conviction is that the high density, architectural quality, diversity and proximity of facilities in historic city centres offer the perfect sustainable urban model.

Main results

Actions for making historic centres future-proof

Drawing on pilot projects, transnational exchange and discussions with their URBACT Local Support Groups, LINKS identified an array of practical solutions for historic city centres to adjust to modern comfort standards.

This fundamental advice runs through all LINKS solutions for making historic centres future-proof

• Relate eco-renovation to the urban context; 
• Develop knowledge on eco-renovation and disseminate it widely; 
• Include inhabitants in the process; 
• Look for funding opportunities for private owners and public projects; 
• Work with local stakeholders, who are particularly helpful in overcoming legal barriers; 
• And in each policy, find a balance between the city centre’s economic development, its use as a public meeting place and the needs of its inhabitants.  

Put eco-restoration at the heart of urban development 

The eco-restoration of old public buildings can form a focus for redeveloping city centres. Examples include: the low-energy renovation of the Vet School (administrative building) in Anderlecht; the renovation of St Mary’s Church in Kilkenny; and the eco-restoration of a cultural cluster in Budrio, which combines work on public cultural buildings with a redesign of the connecting public space. Veria will also redesign streets so they connect scattered historic areas. The regeneration plan of Delft over the last 15 years is a good example of how an integral approach of renovation and governance can stimulate the re-use of central historic buildings.

Social developments and city regeneration – you can’t have one without the other

A city’s regeneration is deeply linked with its social structure, so will only work if it meets the needs of its inhabitants. Citizens took part in building the Local Action Plans of all LINKS cities. Good examples include the eco-restoration of Roma House and the school to learn craftwork in Almeria. Here the social inclusion of the Roma population is related to the area’s future development. In Brasov people are involved through socio-cultural and artistic public events like the Fatzada project. Veria citizens participated via a door-to-door questionnaire. 

Help people know the techniques, and the advantages, of high-quality renovation

Quality renovation of historic centres implies an understanding of traditional building techniques and the cultural value of heritage. Certain LINKS cities developed technical guidelines and assistance for the owners of historic buildings. In Bayonne, heritage gift shop and thematic workshops whetted appetites for training in traditional techniques (see “Zoom on Bayonne”). In Veria, the university assessed the performances and technical characteristics of typical historic buildings and materials. Exemplary pilot projects showed how traditional low-tech renovation techniques can be combined with high-tech, low-energy retrofitting. Examples of “learning by doing” include the Vet School pilot project in Anderlecht, the White Rose Foundation in Delft, and Bourgneuf Street 22 house renovation in Bayonne.

Use eco-restoration to boost the local economy

The experiences of LINKS cities proved that eco-restoration through handcraft and tailor-made solutions can help boost local economies. High-tech innovations for low energy interventions can be stimulated and promoted by exemplary retrofitting of public buildings, but the large majority of buildings in city centres are privately owned. Hence, the need for actions targeting small owners, small enterprises in the building supply chain, and related professionals. A good example is Bayonne (see” Zoom on Bayonne”).

LINKS investigated funding opportunities, particularly, for small private owners with low spending power and limited access to sophisticated financial support mechanisms. For Brasov, micro-financing is a way to stimulate private owners to improve their buildings. Anderlecht, Budrio, Kilkenny and Veria have involved their managing authorities in exploring possibilities for European funding. Pilot projects can support lobbying for an integral approach to eco-restoration at national level.

Improve governance: try to catch the missing voices

As private property makes up a good part of old town centres, private owners must be involved, whether the priority is pedestrianisation, renovation of iconic buildings, cultural vitality or attracting families to the centre. Their participation is vital, from their input to development policies through to the implementation of planned actions. LINKS cities noted a wide variation in governance structures, with some room for improvement. They encourage integrated and inclusive urban policies that always try "to catch the missing voices" (Kilkenny), and turn constraints into opportunities.

Policy recommendations for the revitalisation of historic centres

LINKS partners shared the belief that, “a sound revitalisation of European historic centres is a key driver for a resource efficient Europe, an urgent social need, a source of new economic opportunities, but requires deep changes in professional practices, as well as a clear and stable financial support”.

Recommendations for retrofitting

• Adapt current energy efficiency assessment methods to existing buildings;
• Consider the reduction of the global environmental footprint of renovation works as a criterion for a resource efficient policy;
• Support the necessary change of practices by giving specific attention to traditional building characteristics within the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive;
• Foster the use of renewable energy.

LINKS saw European energy savings commitments as an opportunity for economic development, employment, innovation and social cohesion. The thermal renovation of existing buildings represents a potentially lucrative market. Improving energy performance is a real technical challenge, but the main source of energy efficiency lies in using less.

A strong retrofitting market would need a stable regulatory framework, exempting historic buildings from energy regulations, and providing specific measures to guarantee compatible, long-lasting energy performances. To ensure the retrofitting challenge is met across the EU, new regulations must be accompanied by local support to structure the offer and stimulate market demand.

For this, LINKS partners solicited the support of the European institutions, arguing that the reinforced urban focus of the Regional Development Funds was an opportunity to recognise the key role of historic centres for sustainable urban development. They called for a percentage of ERDF for cities to be allocated to energy retrofitting of residential buildings in historic centres. The aim, to be clearly identified, would be to provide exemplary solutions of eco-restoration in order to help municipalities kick-start the mainstream energy retrofitting of existing buildings. This also represented a key opportunity to support recovery from the current economic crisis.

• Accompany measures to generate job opportunities;
• Facilitate access to the market for eco-materials to create opportunities for SMEs;
• Raise awareness among practitioners and decision-makers.

Improving energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings could boost the economy and substantially contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy, and EU 2050 roadmap targets. Jobs would be created directly in the construction sector, and indirectly in related industries in the materials supply chain, education, research and innovation, energy services companies, waste management.

However, LINKS says that to trigger renovation across Europe that would deliver significant societal, economic and environmental benefits, practices need to change fundamentally. Such changes – as well as widespread training of employers and professionals – will only be achieved by adapting regulation and providing effective financial support.

LINKS also voiced the need for a sustainable business sector, with support for local SMEs in eco-material manufacturing, in order to stimulate local job creation and develop a more labour intensive sector.

• Overcome obstacles hindering the effective cooperation of stakeholders;
• Ensure provision of clear and stable financial support;
• Disseminate good practices.

Though the LINKS partner cities acknowledged that progress had been made in eliminating conflict between heritage value and energy efficiency, they noticed differences between the rules and standards promoted by various legal actors. In response, they called for a common frame of methodologies, regulations and technical specifications, requiring agreement by the various legal representations. They said demands of different operations should be clarified, helping procedures run more smoothly and improving the use of scarce financial resources.

Although the multiple benefits of energy efficient retrofitting of buildings and urban infrastructure are evident even in the short and medium term, budgetary constraints are blocking certain actions to kick-start retrofitting. 

Prospects

URBACT Local Support Groups have become established and Local Action Plans well rooted in the local policies of all LINKS partner cities, so are set to be carried out over the next years. Most municipalities have either adopted the plans or are preparing to do so.

LINKS partner cities believe their exchange and learning should continue, and plan to meet in 2014. This will be the occasion to compare progress on implementing their planned actions, and to share approaches for overcoming obstacles such as financing, inconsistent regulations, and getting the right materials, advice and techniques onto the market.  

Read more

• Links Project mini-site - URBACT website
• Zoom on Bayonne - URBACT website
• Zoom on Veria - URBACT website